


The new gardener

by Peace1996



Series: Office AU [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, First Love, Flowers, Gardener Esteban, Gardens, M/M, Office AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:49:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29959161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peace1996/pseuds/Peace1996
Summary: Lance's family get a new gardener for their home, but maybe he will be so much more to Lance than just this.
Relationships: Esteban Ocon/Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi/George Russell, Sara Pagliaroli/Elena Berri
Series: Office AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2203458
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> this is the first chapter of Lance and Estebans story. It belongs to my story the new assistant, but can be read seperately.
> 
> There will be a lot more to come for this series.
> 
> If you have wishes for this story or for this series, you can always send them to me, I don't care which raiting or wich pair.
> 
> Have fun reading it :)

"Lance, would you come over here please." Lance was sitting in his room when he heard his father's voice across the house. "What is it?" “We just wanted to tell you that we have a new gardener. His name is Esteban and he comes from France, not that you still think there is a burglar in our garden." Lance nodded to his father and then went back to his room and the thoughts of the new gardener were quickly gone. They always have new employees, sometimes he didn't even know their names before they left again.

He was walking through the garden when he heard something rustling. He followed the noise and saw a young man working in the garden. He walked closer and kicked a shovel that he hadn't seen, causing him to turn around, startled. And when Lance saw him from the front, his breath caught. He had never seen such a handsome man before. "Hi." The man looked at him shyly. "Hi." Lance wasn't quite sure what to say either. The two looked at each other shyly until they started laughing.

"I'm Esteban, the new gardener." He held out the hand Lance took and as the two touched, an electric shock rushed through his body. "I'm Lance, I live here." Again, the two looked at each other without saying anything. "What are you doing there?" Lance looked at him. "You don't have to pretend you're interested, you're welcome to go again." Esteban looked a little sad and Lance realized that he doesn't want him to ever want to see him like that again. "I have nothing to do right now and I would really like to know what you are doing."

Esteban started to smile. "Really? Nobody from the homeowners has ever been interested in what I'm doing.” Lance's stomach tingled at Esteban's smile. "I would like to know more about it." Esteban euphorically began to talk about his work and explain the different flowers to Lance. "Did you know that all flowers have a meaning and that some of them were totally different even though they look alike?"

Lance shook his head. "I'm sorry that I talk so much, if you want you can go." Esteban looked at him shyly and with a small smile. "I'd love to hear more about it." He really wanted that, he could hear Esteban for hours. “White and orange lilies look very similar, except that the colour is different. But the meanings are very different. The white lily stands for purity and innocence, but the orange lily stands for vengeance and hatred. The two look so similar, but stand for very different things."

Esteban stroked the white lilies and then cut off a flower. “Here, this is for you. I think it suits you, you radiate something innocent.” Esteban blushed and Lance blushed too when he took the flower and their hands touched. "Thanks." "Lance, are you coming?" He heard his mother scream through the open window. "I have to go, but thanks for the time." Lance smiled at Esteban and then walked back to the house, but not without looking back and seeing Esteban look after him and shyly wave at him before going back to his work.

Lance didn't believe in anything like love at first sight, especially since his parents didn't even know he was gay. But he felt something about Esteban that he hadn't felt before. "Lance, your father is throwing a business lunch on the weekend and you will come with us." Lance began to groan inwardly. He didn't like these lunches, he just sat there, only spoke when he was asked something and his parents always tried to match him with the daughters of business partners.

“Do you really need me? Can't I stay at home?” “No, Mister Miller's daughter will be there too, she's your age, you will definitely get along well.” His mother smiled at him and Lance knew it was one of the smiles which tells him that he couldn't say no. He only nodded briefly and then went into his room and collapsed on his bed. He looked at the flower and smiled. He took a small glass and filled it with water in his own bathroom, then put the flower in it and set it on his bedside table.

"Why are you making such a face?" His sister came into his room and threw herself on his bed with him. "I don't." "Yes, you do. So, what's the matter." Lance just shrugged and his sister sighed. "Is it about the weekend business lunch?" Lance nodded. “I don't feel like going there, why always me and why don't you have to come with us?” “Because I already have other plans.” “That never works with me. I'm only supposed to be there so they can set me up with Mr. Miller's daughter."

Lance sighed and Chloe looked at him pityingly. "Maybe you should tell them that you are gay? They would understand and then you could finally live the way you want.” Lance shrugged. "That wouldn't change anything either." His gaze went unconsciously to the flower that Esteban had given him and Chloe's gaze went there too. "Who is it from?" She grinned and Lance looked at her nervously. "Nobody." "I've known you all your life and you've never had flowers or blossoms in your room, so tell me who did you get it from?"

"From nobody. I found her and I thought she was beautiful.” Chloe started laughing. "That's a lie. Do you have a secret admirer?” Lance shook his head. "Can I have it then?" Lance looked at her in panic and shook his head wildly. Chloe grinned and he knew exactly what she was doing. "It's from Esteban the gardener." "He looks good." Lance blushed. “You also think he's good-looking. My little brother has a crush.” She grinned and he just rolled his eyes. "I don't even know him." "But what isn't there can still be." She grinned, ruffled his hair and then left his room. She was right, what is not, can still be and it was clear to him that he could fall easily in love with Esteban.

The next day, his parents were out of the house before he got up. After eating something, he almost unconsciously went back into the garden. "Good morning." Esteban looked at him and smiled. "Hey." Lance looked at him shyly and again the two said nothing. "I'm about to have a break, maybe you'd like to talk a little." Esteban looked at him shyly. "But I can also understand if you don't want to have anything to do with a simple gardener." "No, I would really like to get to know you better." Lance didn't let it show that it hurt him that Esteban believed he would want nothing to do with him just because he was a gardener.

He has had to go through this many times before, many have prejudices against him because he comes from a wealthy family. But he didn't want to mess up with Esteban before it really started. He waited a few minutes with Esteban and told him how to look after the flowers until he had a break. He took a small bread box out of his backpack and then sat down on a bench surrounded by flowers. Lance sat down next to him, but far enough away so they wouldn’t touch.

"Have you been a gardener for a long time?" Lance looked at Esteban. “Yes, I started with my father. We never had a lot of money and that's why I couldn't go to college. I started helping out at my parents when I was at school and then continued afterwards. We're getting by pretty well now and I love the work, but I had little choice either. And what about you? Do you work? Because I've only seen you here so far.” It didn't sound like an accusation, but it was exactly what everyone always thought of him. "My father is showing me everything in his company so that I can take it over at some point." The first time he felt guilty about having so much money and not having to do anything for it, while Esteban has to work hard for what little money he has.

"Do you have any siblings?" Lance wanted to quickly divert attention from the topic and show Esteban that he would like to get to know him better. “No, it's just me and my parents. And do you have siblings?” “Yes, I have a sister, Chloe. You've probably seen her walking around here before.” “Oh, that's your sister, I thought that was your girlfriend.” “Oh God no.” They both started to laugh. "She is very pretty." Lance laugh turned tortured, it would have been too good if someone had found him good. Esteban seemed to notice this and got up and shortly after came back with a blossom.

“It's a hibiscus flower. It stands for beauty and I think it suits you very well.” Esteban blushed and looked shyly at Lance now. Lance blushed too, but began to smile. "Thanks." The two looked at each other shyly until Esteban jumped up. "I'm sorry. My break is over and I have to carry on.” Esteban was almost gone when he turned around again. “Thanks for the time. I hope we can do that more often.” Me too, Lance whispered, but Esteban couldn't hear it anymore because he had already left. He put the flower into the water next to the first one, smiling. He could really get used to it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> to everyone who is reading this, the second chapter is here and a new couple will be introduced.
> 
> There will be a lot more to come for this series.
> 
> If you have wishes for this story or for this series, you can always send them to me, I don't care which raiting or wich pair.
> 
> Have fun reading it :)

He put the flower into the water next to the first one, smiling. He could really get used to it.

And that's what they did. Every day, when he had time, Lance went into the garden and talked to Esteban and the two got to know each other better and better. And Lance was now sure that he was falling more and more in love with Esteban and that he couldn't. His parents should never know that he is gay. His thoughts were interrupted when his mother frantically walked into his room. “Where are you? We're too late.” Lance shrugged and tried to straighten his tie, but his mother just sighed and did it herself.

"Come on, the driver is waiting downstairs." Lance nodded and then followed her in front of the house, where he met Esteban. "Wow, you look good." Esteban looked at him in admiration and Lance blushed. "Wait a minute." Lance couldn't say anything before Esteban disappeared. "Lance, are you coming now." He heard his mother scream again. "Just a moment." Esteban came back and draped a yellow rose in his jacket pocket. “It stands for warmth and gratitude. It goes perfectly with the outfit, now you look even better.” Esteban looked at him shyly and with red cheeks and Lance would have liked nothing more than kissing him, but he couldn't.

“Thank you, Esteban. I'm sorry, I have to go, my mother's already annoyed.” “Have fun.” Esteban smiled one last time and Lance went to the car that had been waiting for him and his parents the whole time. Usually, he was always annoyed or tense about driving to a business lunch, but today he had a smile on his face as soon as he thought of Esteban and the yellow rose on his jacket. “Remember, Lance. These are important business partners, you have to be nice."

He sighed and looked at his mother after they all got out. "I know, it's not the first time I'm doing this." "Don't talk to your mother like that, Lance." Lance just nodded and together they all went into the hall. "Luckily, we're not the last, at least we're hosting this event." His father looked at him sternly and accusingly, but Lance didn't care. "Mr. And Mrs. Stroll, thank you for inviting me.” “Lance, this is Mr. Miller. We're glad they could come.” Lance's parents shook hands with him. "This is my daughter Ashley." Lance's eyes fell on the young woman standing next to him. She was pretty, but those were most of the daughters his parents wanted to match him with.

"Why don't you two get something to drink and get to know each other better." Lance's father smiled at Ashley and looked intently at Lance. "Gladly." Ashley grinned, hooked herself under his arm and he had to be careful not to roll his eyes. He went with her to the bar and ordered something to drink for the two of them while she talked the whole time. "Why are you still single? You look good, you have money and you seem nice too.” She looked down his body and then back into his eyes. "I haven't met the right person yet." Or maybe I have, and his thoughts immediately went to Esteban.

"Maybe I can be the right one for you." She looked at him seductively and ran a finger over his upper body. "I don't know." He tried again and again, for his parents, but there was never one he found even remotely nice, especially since he would never feel for them the way they want him to anyway. "I'd like to show you." She winked and ran her finger in the direction of his crotch when she heard a voice behind her. "Baby, I'm sorry I'm late." A young, pretty, blonde woman walked up to the two of them, kissed his cheek, then turned to Ashley.

"Hi, I'm Sara, his girlfriend." Ashley looked at them both in surprise and Lance was also surprised. "He doesn't have a girlfriend, he told me that." "We kept it a secret until now." Ashley looked at Lance now. "Is that right?" Lance only nodded briefly. “You're not that great at all. I'll find someone better.” She turned and walked away with her head held high. Lance took a deep breath. "I hope that was okay. I saw you both and I thought you might need help.” “I needed that, thank you. May I invite you as a thank you?” Sara nodded and Lance ordered something to drink for the two of them.

"I'm Lance, by the way." "I'm Sara." The two smiled at each other. “Why are you here?” “My parents always take me with them and want to pair me up with the daughters of business partners. And what about you?” “It’s the same thing for me. My father really wants me to marry a son of his business partners.” Lance saw his father look at them and put his hand gently on Sara's arm, his father smiled and looked away again. "I'm sorry, but my father had just looked in our direction." "No problem, I know how it is." “Do you feel like spending the rest of the evening together? Then we no longer have to worry about our parents and about other people talking to us." Lance thought for a moment and then nodded. "That sounds perfect."

Sara smiled and only now did he take a closer look at her, she was really pretty and had a beautiful smile. "Let's go somewhere else, okay?" She nodded and the two of them went to a corner to sit on a couple of benches. “Have you been to many of these events?” “Yes, my parents always force me to come with them. My sister has a boyfriend, so she doesn't have to go with us anymore. And even my parents are hosting that today and actually wanted to pair me up with Mr. Miller's daughter, whom you just met. And she wasn't the first, but they all had one thing in common, they always thought they were something better.” “I know that too, my father always wants to pair me up with Mr. Johnsen's son.”

"I'm sorry for you, I don't like him at all." They both laughed. "Neither do I, but I've found you now." Sara smiled at Lance and then kissed him on the cheek. He liked her, she was very different from the others. But he also knew that there could be no more between them than friendship and that he had to tell her sooner or later. "Why haven't you found the right one yet?" Sara looked away thoughtfully and shrugged. "You are pretty, nice and not like the others here." Sara looked at him a little uncertainly. "Can I tell you something, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone, especially not my father, okay?"

"Of course, you can count on me." Lance gave her an encouraging smile and saw her pulling her phone out of her pocket. She typed something and then showed him a photo of her with another woman. "This is Elena, she’s my girlfriend." Lance let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God." Sara looked at him confused. "I'm gay and I like you and I was scared of how you would react if you maybe fell in love with me and I would have needed to tell you, that there can’t be more between us." Sara started to laugh. "I like you, but you're a man, nothing will ever happen between us." Her laughter subsided and she smiled at him. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Lance looked at the floor and shook his head.

“But there is someone I like. He's our gardener.” “And your parents don't know that you are gay.” “No, and if it were up to me, they would never know. Does your father know that you are a lesbian?” “No, I tried to tell him once, but he didn't understand what I wanted to tell him.” Lance took Sara's hand and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’m sorry." He looked up to see how his mother look at the clasped hands, started smiling and winking at him. “How about we spend these business events together from now on, our parents would no longer try to couple us up with others. And I like you, I haven't had so much fun doing something like that in a long time."

"That sounds very good, I feel the same way." She handed him her phone. "Will you give me your number?" Lance nodded and typed his number into her phone. They were still talking and did not see his parents approaching them. "Lance, who is your friend?" The two looked at Lance's parents and then he saw his mother's grin. "I'm Sara." She smiled at the two of them and shook her hands. "Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Stroll." "I see you both get along very well." Lance's father put his arm around his wife's waist and smiled at them both.

Lance looked at Sara and put his arm around her too. "Yes, we do." The two smiled at each other and then back at Lance's parents. “Sara, come by for dinner tomorrow. Lance's sister is also coming with her boyfriend.” “She's probably already doing something, Papa.” “I'm very happy to come.” Sara smiled at the two. "That's our pleasure. Lance can tell you everything else. We'll leave you alone again.” Lance's parents left and Lance saw that they were happy that he finally met someone.

"You shouldn't have done that." “I like you and so I can get to know you better and I know how you are doing with your parents.” “Thank you.” Lance kissed her gently on the cheek. “If you ever need me for your father, let me know. How long have you been with your girlfriend?" "For three months. We met in a small café. We saw each other there and then at some point I took the first step and spoke to her. From then on, we met there again and again and then went on a date at some point. It had taken a while, but then she kissed me. And we've been together since that day."

Sara beamed when she spoke of Elena. "I'm delighted for you. You can really see how happy you are.” “Thank you. And has there already happened more between you and the gardener?” Lance shook his head. “We have only spoken to each other so far. I'm not even sure if he thinks of me the way I think of him.” “Has he ever shown signs that he likes you too?” “He gave me flowers whose meaning suits me, in his opinion. This one is from him too.” Lance pointed to the yellow flower. “He gave you flowers? What do they mean?" "This one means gratitude and the first one he gave me means beauty."

Sara started laughing and Lance looked confused. “He gives you a flower that means beauty. He likes you, no other man would do that.” “Do you really think so?” Lance looked at her uncertainly. "Yeah, that's what I mean." She honestly smiled at him. “Do you have a photo of him?” “No, we hardly know each other either.” “Will you show him to me tomorrow when I come to dinner?” “But only if you promise not to be too conspicuous. I don't want to my parents or Esteban to know anything.” “Okay, I promise you that.” Lance smiled. Finally, these events weren't so bad anymore and he had found a fellow sufferer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have request for this series or for my other stories and series, just send them to me. I will be happy to write them.
> 
> And if you liked this story send a comment or/and leave kudos.
> 
> Have a nice day :)

**Author's Note:**

> If you have request for this series or for my other stories and series, just send them to me. I will be happy to write them.
> 
> And if you liked this story send a comment or/and leave kudos.
> 
> Have a nice day :)


End file.
